List with all 10 potential candidates:

1. Warhammer 40k

Factions/Races:

- Imperium: Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Adeptus Mechanicus (3 factions)

- Chaos: Chaos Space Marines, Daemons (2 factions)

- Xenos: Eldar, Dark Eldar, Orks, Necrons, Tau, Tyranids (6 factions)

Total Factions: 11

Total Playable Races: 3 (Imperium, Chaos, Xenos)

Advantages:

1. Diverse Factions: Wide variety of factions with unique units and playstyles.

2. Established Lore and Fanbase: Extensive lore and a large, dedicated fanbase.

Disadvantages:

1. Complex Balancing: Difficult to balance due to the wide range of abilities and technologies.

2. Sci-Fi Elements: Heavy sci-fi elements might not appeal to all Total War fans.

2. Warhammer 30k (Horus Heresy)

Factions/Races:

- Imperium: Loyalist Legions, Mechanicum (2 factions)

- Chaos: Traitor Legions, Daemons (2 factions)

Total Factions: 4

Total Playable Races: 2 (Imperium, Chaos)

Advantages:

1. Focused Conflict: Concentrated on the civil war aspect, providing intense narrative and strategic depth.

2. Rich Lore: Well-documented and beloved period in Warhammer history.

Disadvantages:

1. Limited Faction Diversity: Fewer factions compared to Warhammer 40k.

2. Complex Lore: Requires deep knowledge of the lore to fully appreciate.

3. Star Wars (Old Republic)

Factions/Races:

- Republic: Jedi Order, Galactic Republic (2 factions)

- Sith Empire: Sith Lords, Sith Empire (2 factions)

- Neutral: Mandalorians, Hutts (2 factions)

Total Factions: 6

Total Playable Races: 3 (Republic, Sith Empire, Neutral)

Advantages:

1. Blend of Fantasy and Sci-Fi: Unique mix of medieval fantasy elements with futuristic technology.

2. Massive Fanbase: Star Wars' popularity could draw in a large player base.

Disadvantages:

1. Sci-Fi Elements: The sci-fi aspects might alienate players looking for a purely medieval fantasy experience.

2. Complex Lore: Balancing the extensive lore and characters could be challenging.

4. Lord of the Rings

Factions/Races:

- Humans: Gondor, Rohan, Dunland (3 factions)

- Elves: Rivendell, Lothlorien (2 factions)

- Dwarves: Erebor, Iron Hills (2 factions)

- Orcs: Mordor, Isengard, Moria (3 factions)

- Others: Hobbits of the Shire, Ents of Fangorn (2 factions)

Total Factions: 12

Total Playable Races: 5 (Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Others)

Advantages:

1. Iconic and Widely Recognized: One of the most beloved fantasy settings, ensuring widespread appeal.

2. Rich Lore: Deep lore and a variety of factions.

Disadvantages:

1. Strict Lore Adherence: Fans expect strict adherence to the lore, which could limit creative freedom.

2. Fewer Unique Units: Compared to some other settings, there might be fewer unique unit types.

5. Game of Thrones

Factions/Races:

- Houses: Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, Targaryen, Greyjoy, Martell, Tyrell, Arryn, Bolton, Frey (10 factions)

- Free Folk: Various tribes beyond the Wall (1 faction)

- Others: Dothraki, Unsullied, White Walkers (3 factions)

Total Factions: 14

Total Playable Races: 3 (Houses, Free Folk, Others)

Advantages:

1. Political Intrigue: The setting's focus on political maneuvering can add depth to the gameplay.

2. Established Fanbase: A strong, established fanbase ensures interest and engagement.

Disadvantages:

1. Limited Fantasy Elements: Compared to other settings, the fantasy elements are more subdued.

2. Controversial Ending: The series' ending might deter some fans.

6. The Elder Scrolls

Factions/Races:

- Humans: Imperials, Nords, Bretons (3 factions)

- Elves: Altmer (High Elves), Dunmer (Dark Elves), Bosmer (Wood Elves) (3 factions)

- Beast Races: Khajiit, Argonians (2 factions)

- Orcs: Orsimer (1 faction)

Total Factions: 9

Total Playable Races: 4 (Humans, Elves, Beast Races, Orcs)

Advantages:

1. Popular Franchise: The Elder Scrolls series has a massive fanbase and a well-developed world.

2. Diverse Cultures and Creatures: Offers a wide range of races, each with unique units and abilities.

Disadvantages:

1. High Fantasy Elements: Some elements might be too fantastical for players preferring grounded medieval settings.

2. Complex Mechanics: Incorporating the game's mechanics (e.g., magic systems) could be challenging.

7. The Witcher

Factions/Races:

- Northern Kingdoms: Temeria, Redania, Kaedwen, Aedirn (4 factions)

- Nilfgaardian Empire (1 faction)

- Scoia'tael: Elves, Dwarves (2 factions)

- Monsters: Various creature factions (1 faction)

Total Factions: 8

Total Playable Races: 3 (Humans, Scoia'tael, Monsters)

Advantages:

1. Dark Fantasy Setting: Offers a unique, gritty atmosphere that differs from more traditional fantasy worlds.

2. Popular Franchise: The Witcher series has a large, dedicated fanbase.

Disadvantages:

1. Complex Characters and Lore: The deep, character-driven narratives might be challenging to adapt into a grand strategy format.

2. Mature Themes: The dark and mature themes might not appeal to all players.

 8. Dragonlance

Factions/Races:

- Humans: Knights of Solamnia, Dragonarmies of Takhisis (2 factions)

- Elves: Qualinesti, Silvanesti (2 factions)

- Dwarves: Hill Dwarves, Mountain Dwarves (2 factions)

- Kender: Nomadic Kender clans (1 faction)

- Draconians: Sivak, Bozak, Kapak (3 factions)

Total Factions: 10

Total Playable Races: 5 (Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Kender, Draconians)

Advantages:

1. Compelling Narratives: Known for its epic stories and characters, Dragonlance can provide a narrative-driven campaign.

2. Iconic Dragons: Dragons play a central role, adding exciting unit possibilities.

Disadvantages:

1. Less Known: Compared to other settings like Lord of the Rings, Dragonlance might be less familiar to a broader audience.

2. Limited Factions: Fewer factions compared to some other settings, which might limit variety.

 9. Forgotten Realms

Factions/Races:

- Humans: Waterdeep, Cormyr, Zhentarim (3 factions)

- Elves: Evermeet, Elven Court (2 factions)

- Dwarves: Mithral Hall, Citadel Adbar (2 factions)

- Orcs: Many-Arrows Tribe (1 faction)

- Underdark: Drow (House Baenre), Duergar (2 factions)

Total Factions: 10

Total Playable Races: 5 (Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Underdark)

Advantages:

1. Rich Lore and Diverse Factions: The Forgotten Realms is one of the most detailed and expansive settings in fantasy, offering a wide variety of races and factions.

2. Variety of Units: From magical beings and powerful wizards to diverse humanoid races and monstrous creatures, the unit variety is immense.

Disadvantages:

1. Complexity: The sheer amount of lore and characters can be overwhelming and challenging to balance in a game.

2. High Expectations: The established fanbase might have high expectations, making it difficult to meet everyone's desires.

10.World of Darkness: Dark Ages

Factions/Races:

- Vampires: 12 Clans (Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue, Lasombra, Tzimisce, Assamite, Followers of Set, Giovanni)

- Werewolves: Various tribes (Black Furies, Bone Gnawers, Children of Gaia, Fianna, Get of Fenris, Glass Walkers, Red Talons, Shadow Lords, Silent Striders, Silver Fangs, Stargazers, Uktena, Wendigo)

- Mages: Various orders (Order of Hermes, Verbena, Celestial Chorus, Cult of Ecstasy, Dreamspeakers, Euthanatos, Sons of Ether, Virtual Adepts, Akashic Brotherhood, Hollow Ones)

- Inquisitors: Human faction

- Demon Hunters: Specialized human faction

- Wraiths: Ghostly entities (Hierarchies, Renegades, Heretics)

- Demons: Infernal beings

- Others: Mummies

Total Factions: 30+

Total Playable Races: 8 (Vampires, Werewolves, Mages, Inquisitors, Demon Hunters, Wraiths, Demons, Mummies)

Advantages:

1. Unique Setting: Combines medieval history with supernatural elements, offering a fresh and unique take on the genre.

2. Diverse Factions: A wide variety of supernatural factions provide rich and varied gameplay options.

Disadvantages:

1. Niche Appeal: The gothic horror theme might not attract as broad an audience as other settings.

2. Complex Mechanics: Incorporating the supernatural abilities and intricate politics of each faction could be complex and challenging.

Olympic Winners of most suitable universes for a Total War game:

Top 5 Settings for a Total War Game

1.Gold Medal: Forgotten Realms

Reasons:

- Rich Lore and Diverse Factions: Forgotten Realms has an extensive and well-developed lore with a variety of races and factions. This depth allows for a rich storytelling experience and diverse strategic gameplay.

- High Unit Variety: The setting offers a mix of infantry, magic users, and monstrous creatures, providing a wide range of units and tactics.

- Strong Fanbase: A large, established fanbase is ready to embrace a new game set in this beloved world.

Total Factions: 10

Total Playable Races: 5 (Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Underdark)

The Forgotten Realms wins the top spot due to its rich lore, diverse factions, and strong fanbase. Its mix of magic, varied races, and deep storytelling potential make it an ideal candidate for a Total War game.

 2. Silver Medal: The Elder Scrolls

Reasons:

- Popular Franchise: The Elder Scrolls series has a massive fanbase and a well-developed world that has been loved by gamers for decades.

- Diverse Cultures and Creatures: With multiple races and unique units, the game can offer varied gameplay and strategies.

- Established Lore: The setting is rich with history and lore, providing a solid foundation for a Total War game.

Total Factions: 9

Total Playable Races: 4 (Humans, Elves, Beast Races, Orcs)

The Elder Scrolls takes second place with its popular and well-loved world, diverse cultures, and established lore. Its high fantasy elements and unique units offer a compelling strategy experience.

 3. Bronze Medal: World of Darkness: Dark Ages

Reasons:

- Unique and Fresh Setting: Combining medieval history with supernatural elements offers a unique twist to the traditional Total War formula.

- Extensive Faction Variety: The setting includes a vast array of supernatural factions, from vampires and werewolves to mages and demons, each with unique abilities and units.

- Rich Lore and Depth: The intricate lore and deep storytelling potential make it an excellent candidate for a strategy game.

Total Factions: 30+

Total Playable Races: 8 (Vampires, Werewolves, Mages, Inquisitors, Demon Hunters, Wraiths, Demons, Mummies)

World of Darkness: Dark Ages earns third place for its unique combination of medieval and supernatural elements, extensive faction variety, and deep lore. While its niche not popular as 40k, and might limit its audience, the rich setting and diverse tribes and clans, being very political open very wide possibilities making it a strong contender for a Total War game. It could focus on supernatural crusades.

 4th Position: Lord of the Rings

Reasons:

- Iconic and Widely Recognized: One of the most beloved fantasy settings, ensuring widespread appeal and recognition.

- Rich Lore: Deep and well-established lore with a variety of factions, providing a solid foundation for strategic gameplay.

- Balanced Factions: A mix of humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs with distinct abilities and units.

Total Factions: 12

Total Playable Races: 5 (Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Others)

Is the most classical fantasy setting, could attract more mature audience.

Lord of the Rings earns fourth place for its iconic and widely recognized setting, which ensures widespread appeal and recognition. Its rich lore and well-established factions provide a solid foundation for strategic gameplay, with a balanced mix of humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs. The deep narrative and legendary characters make it a compelling choice, although it might not offer as much faction variety as some other settings.

 5th Position: Warhammer 40k

Reasons:

- Diverse Factions: Wide variety of factions with unique units and playstyles, offering extensive strategic depth.

- Established Lore and Fanbase: Extensive lore and a large, dedicated fanbase provide a ready-made audience.

- Unique Blend of Sci-Fi and Fantasy: The setting offers a unique combination of futuristic technology and fantasy elements.

Total Factions: 11

Total Playable Races: 3 (Imperium, Chaos, Xenos)

Warhammer 40k takes fifth place due to its diverse factions, each with unique units and playstyles, offering extensive strategic depth. The established lore and large, dedicated fanbase provide a ready-made audience. The setting’s unique blend of futuristic technology and fantasy elements makes it a strong contender for a Total War game. While it might be more complex to balance due to its wide range of abilities and technologies, its potential for epic battles and rich storytelling is undeniable.

Forgetting also that TES is owned by a different games company owned by another mega-corp.

Witcher Monsters isn't really a race or faction. More an encounter to screw your forces over.

Also just skipping over the potential license costs many of these have, some being the most expensive of any media in the world.

Also noticing not much from Asia in this list, considering how well 3K did on release seems going for a Chinese/Japanese/Korean fantasy world might be the best option for sales.

My favorite choices are Forgotten Realms, and World of Darkness, the last could be a sort of Medieval 3 adding a layer of WoD politics, this setting has never been in x4 games with real time battles, and potential is huge.

WoD is owned by Paradox, so maybe both could win if CA licenses it for a Total War.

World of Darkness features:

Changelings: humans with fairy souls/blood. (This includes  many clans or races, and one is similar to the elves: the Sidhe)

Demons: very interesting, they use humans servants too, could be interesting.

Vampires: lots of bloodlines, more than 12 with different goals and powers, bloodlines like Tzimisce, Nosferatu...

Werewolves: more than 10 clans and types: including non wolves like lizardmen, leopardmen, and others.

Inquisitors and Hunters: humans using faith sometimes can kill supernatural beings or resist their powers.

Mages: more than 7 different magic schools with different political agendas.

Wraiths: Ghosts fights for many reasons, they also have political things, and they have different clans too.

Angels: not the original angels, but half angels, their children. They fight the evil.

Mummies: They are their own kind.

Also, WoD could be the "mythos" DLC of a Total War Medieval 3 as an alternative mode. I have analyzed player counts, and historic games have the risk of not being enough for dlc sales. Fantasy sells a lot more. Mixing it with a new setting would be the smartest move for CA.

The Republic should be split up into the different Clone Legions and their Jedi Generals. for the Core line up I'd go for the 2 most iconic ones:

1. 501st Legion with Annakin, Ahsoka and Rex 

2. 212th Attack Battalion with Kenobi and Cody

The other Legions and their unique characters and designs can be DLC:

- Galactic Marines with Ki Adi Mundi, Commander Bacarra and unique vehicles like the AT-UT

- 327th Star Coprs with Aayla Secura and Bly plus new vehicles like Swamp Speeders 

....

Would also love to see haracter packs like:

- The Bad Batch 

- The Inquisitors 

- Phoenix Rebels Cell 

- Bounty Hunters 

There is so much potential.